Global warming and Walmart going to the Supreme Court

WalMart and global warming are the subjects of two lawsuits heading to the Supreme Court. Image from Wikimedia Commons.

The Supreme Court has added cases to its docket concerning Walmart and global warming. The retail giant is being sued for gender discrimination regarding procedural issues. In the global warming suit, the state of Connecticut is taking action against a power plant.

Walmart goes to Supreme Court to roll back lawsuit

The Supreme Court has agreed to hear cases concerning a Walmart lawsuit and a global warming case, according to CNN. Walmart is being sued for gender discrimination against women in hiring and promotions. The question is whether the suit can be filed as a class action, a lawsuit is brought by a collective body or “class,” of plaintiffs or against a collective body of defendants. If so, it may be the largest suit of its type ever filed, as there are 1.6 million plaintiffs in the case, officially Dukes v. Wal-Mart Stores Inc. The lawsuit alleges that Walmart, as a corporate entity, discriminates against female employees by paying lower wages and by not promoting many female workers to management positions.

Global warming also on the docket

The Supreme Court has also agreed to hear a case over global warming, according to the Los Angeles Times. The global warming lawsuit, American Electric Power v. Connecticut, is being appealed to the high court to determine whether courts and legislatures can place limits on carbon emissions. The state of Connecticut, along with New York, California and eight other states, are suing American Electric Power for emissions from coal power plants. The court is being asked to decide whether carbon emissions can be labeled a public nuisance.

More huge issues

Depending on exactly what happens with the battle over Proposition 8, the highest court in the country may end up having to decide if banning gay marriage is constitutional before too long. The Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals is currently hearing the Prop 8 case.